Here at Pride and Joy Foundation, we recently found an incredible trans poet in 11-year-old, Z.W.* from Colorado.  We have published his poem here.

 Since so many in our audience are parents of kids just like Z, we wanted to share some thoughts from his Mom.

I am the parent of an AFAB (assigned female at birth) wonderful human. Z’s Journey has also been my journey. He has tried on multiple names and is continuing to get to know who he is. In the beginning of our journey I felt lost and struggled daily, but now, two years in, I have realized that for me to join him in his being lost does not benefit either of us.

In the beginning, I thought I needed to understand everything that Z was going through. I wish someone had told me when we first started down this path that it is not my job to figure it out for him, just to love and support him while he figures it out for himself. It would have saved me many hours of emotionally draining sits, filled with gut-wrenching...

My gender is something

Something so perfect

Like a sphere of black goo

Floating in space

A concept so void

No human could understand

Not even me

No, not even me

Are you a boy? A girl?

I always say a boy

That is true

In a way

I like being a boy

I love being treated as one

Called one

But..

That's not all.

A bit of girl

Just a bit

But there's more

It's agile as a cat

Joyful like the sun

Shy as the moon

Loud as a puppy

but still quiet as a mouse

It wears flowy dresses and skirts

eyeliner and lipstick

when someone says

"Girl!"

it shakes its head

It isn't a girl,

but it doesn't mind being called one.

But don't call it they.

It isn't a they.

It is bright colors

it's lying under a warm blanket

on a snowy afternoon

it's jumping into the pool

on a hot summers day

It's loyal as a dog

and kind as a deer

Sometimes it's loud

or too quiet to hear

Every time it's put in a box

it never quite works.

Girl, boy, neither,...

Parenting is already the hardest job in the world, and when you add sexuality to the mix, it gets even more challenging.

Whether your child is just beginning to question their sexuality or is ready to buy every rainbow they see, we are here to provide connection and support. Without judgment.

'Cause parenting is hard enough without being judged by other parents. We see you and we need you.

Join us on www.PrideAndJoyParents.com!

Parent Connection is a support network for parents who needs help and guidance in handling matters relating to their children's sexuality.

Acceptance, support, and understanding are one of the best things that LGBTQ+ children will ever receive, especially from their parents. As such, we all know that you, as parents, want to give your best to your child, however, you're not invincible.

Parenting is already a challenge of its own, your child's sexuality being part of the equation opens up a whole other set of challenges. Our goal is to provide a safe space...

Harris is a 30-something-year-old nonbinary person from Hertfordshire, UK. Harris realized they were trans/nonbinary in their mid-twenties and have since made the commitment to becoming the advocate they needed, but never had.

To date, Harris has taught and coached over 30,000 people in their mission to educate the general population about gender identity. An entrepreneur and seasoned LGBTQ+ advocate, Harris is dedicated to making every story as familiar to us as our own.

They will be speaking at the Pride and Joy Summit's Gender Identity track; their talk is about Why Gender Euphoria is our Guiding Light.

Join us to learn more!

Jo-Marie Einish is a Cree-Naskapi of Northern Quebec, Canada.

 They are two-spirit and their pronouns are They/Them/Theirs. They study Political Science at Concordia University while also studying part-time at Harvard, remotely.

 Subject to intergenerational trauma and colonial tactics of western society, Jo-Marie is passionate about decolonization and creating a space for First Nations people in the economic/social/political stream. They are passionate about human rights, and the wellbeing of all youth.

Jo-Marie is speaking in the Gender Identity Track of the Pride and Joy Summit. Their talk is entitled How Non-Indigenous Persons can be Allies with Respects to Indigenous Gender Identity.

 Join us to learn more!